GateKeeper Buoy Navy SBIR FY2005.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2005.1 Topic No.: N05-077 Topic Title: GateKeeper Buoy Proposal No.: N051-077-0784 Firm: Scientific Applications & Research Assoc., Inc. 6300 Gateway Dr. Cypress, California 90630-4844 Contact: Gabriel Tse Phone: (714) 224-4410 Web Site: www.sara.com Abstract: The Station Keeping GateKeeper Buoy being proposed by SARA, Inc. uses a revolutionary MHD generator to power the required FORCEnet communications equipment and the propulsion unit required for station keeping. It uses a dual buoy design, where the surface buoy contains the communications equipment and the propulsion device to enable station keeping inside the desired watch circle. The towed device is submerged and houses the MHD generator, which draws its power from the opposing motion of the two buoys transferred via the connecting tether. The focus of this proposal will be on the feasibility study in the design of the desired buoy hull forms and that of the smaller scale MHD generator. SARA currently has 2 SBIR Phase II projects for the larger scale (100 kW) MHD generator based OWEC devices and is confident that a smaller version of this generator could be designed for this application. Benefits: Using the energy inherent in ocean waves to power the GateKeeper buoy will allow that system to be free floating - that is not to be moored to the ocean floor. Since the system we are proposing is inherently light weight and compact, this same technology could easily be used for powering autonomous oceanographic data collection systems, and possibly even be used as a charging station for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles. Return